


heaven drowsy with the harmony

by hallowgirl



Category: Political RPF - UK 20th-21st c.
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Engagement, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Glasses, Latin, Making Love, Post-Coital Cuddling, References to Shakespeare, Sex in a Car, Shakespeare Quotations, Sweet and hot, of course there's Latin it's Jacob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 15:59:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16895673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hallowgirl/pseuds/hallowgirl
Summary: "Could you-" Helena bites her lip, then lets her gaze flicker up to Jacob's, and smiles, almost shyly. "Could you maybe-recite Shakespeare to me?"





	heaven drowsy with the harmony

**Author's Note:**

> I mean, once I'd written one Jacob/Helena fic....  
> You can't tell me you've never imagined that Jacob Rees-Mogg would turn to Shakespeare in romantic moments. Plus, he drives around in a Bentley. The fic practically wrote itself :) Takes place in October 2006, during their engagement. (If you want to be REALLY specific, it's around 20th October 2006, according to the number of days Helena gives to their wedding in the fic.)  
> If you want to ask me anything about my fics, you can send me an ask on my [Tumblr](https://hallowgirl.tumblr.com/ask) ! I've included the Shakespeare quotes at the end, along with a couple of translations of the Latin phrases used!  
> Leave a comment if you like it! :)

_"I don't claim I'm the world's expert in double declutch, but it's a very attractive car."-Jacob on his Bentley._

_Jacob: On the way in, somebody gave me a pair of underpants for some reason, I wasn't quite sure why-_

_Interviewer: The pants might have been a gift, though, mightn't they? It's not every day that people get given pants!_

_Jacob: I think they have a slogan on them which I haven't yet read though-they're here to hand-_

_Helena: Here they are!_

_Interviewer: Ah, yes-your colleague has just-_

_Helena: His wife._

_Interviewer: Your wife._

_Jacob: Yes._

_Interviewer (hysterically laughing): Mrs Rees-Mogg is just showing us the pants in question, which is-it's a white pair of Y-fronts, with some green writing, but they've gone back in the handbag, so I can't see what it says-_

_Helena (grinning): They're not his!_

_Jacob: No, they're not mine. (grinning at Helena) THEY'VE been safely hidden away!_

_(Interviewer cracks up. Helena's giggling.)_

_Jacob: So, yes, there's a certain..frisson....as you come in-(nearly dissolves into laughter as he and Helena start gazing at each other)_

_(Interviewer dissolves into awkward laughter at the gazing suddenly going on.)_

_-the time a protester threw Jacob a pair of underpants and Helena started carrying them around in her handbag at the Conservative Party Conference 2015, which resulted in the interviewer suddenly playing gooseberry._

 

_"As a couple, they (Jacob and Helena) are a bit like chalk and cheese" says a chum. "I was at Bristol University with Helena and she was a bit of a wild child. In fact, her 21st birthday party, a masked ball in the vein of Eyes Wide Shut, was one of the most debauched events I have attended." Helena is also thought to wear a tongue stud..._

_"We first met when Helena was an infant because our parents knew each other. We first met in adulthood at a political event run by my younger sister, campaigning for a referendum on the EU constitution. I spent 20 minutes talking to her about her family history, which I think she thought was slightly bonkers, but there you go." How did the romance progress? "We started dining together." Had you had many girlfriends before? "I had not."..._

_Did his wife Helena really sport a tongue stud when they met?_

_"Yes, she did! She got rid of it when our eldest, Peter, was born. She thought mothers ought not to have tongue studs."_

_Gosh, was it a bit, well, startling when he first encountered it?_

_"Oh, goodness! I think she told me before I, er......spotted it."_

_We both go pink.-Jacob speaking in various interviews about him and Helena._

 

_Protester (to Jacob and Helena's children): Your daddy won't answer the question-_

_Helena (stepping up to him): I will!_

_Jacob (holding Helena's arm): No, no, no, come on, sweetheart, go in, take the children inside-_

_Helena: No, I'm staying with you!_

_-Jacob and Helena when confronted by protesters in front of their children outside their family home in September 2018._

 

_Not if I have anything to say about it!-Helena's rumoured response when jokingly asked by an interviewer in 2018 if them not currently planning on having any more children meant there'd be a "vow of chastity" in the Rees-Mogg household._

* * *

 

_And when Love speaks, the voice of all the gods_

_Makes heaven drowsy with the harmony_

_ -Love's Labour's Lost, Act IV Scene III, William Shakespeare _

 

 

Helena loves Jacob's Bentley. Those cars are so much a part of him, it'd be hard to love one and not the other. It'd be like loving Jacob and not loving the way he looks in those bloody spectacles. (Helena _likes_ the spectacles. When they were children, she used to squirm onto Jacob's lap next to Annunziata and nick his glasses off the end of his nose, running away as fast as her chubby legs could carry her, squeals of toddler glee echoing off the walls. Jacob never gave chase, to her annoyance, having perfected his droll smile and raise of the eyebrows even then.)

These days, Helena likes to kiss along the frames of his glasses, feeling him shiver with surprise, and a couple of times, Jacob has thoughtfully poked an arm of the spectacles into the corner of his mouth, as if just thinking carefully for a few moments, and Helena almost growls at the memory of the sensation _that_ sight sends through her.

But yes, Helena loves the Bentley. But she might just love it very slightly more if you could lie down in the back of it.

Jacob's teeth scrape against her neck, very softly, but enough to make a shudder arch Helena's whole body.

 _"Jacob."_ She groans his name into his neck, rounds her mouth on his skin, both of their breathing loud, heavy, wanting, filling the car, misting the windows.

Jacob wriggles under her mouth, and then his is at her ear, murmuring "Are you-was that-"

Helena melts, takes his face between her hands then. "It was good."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm." Helena kisses him again, long and slow, legs almost but not quite wrapping around his waist, sliding her hands into his hair and ruffling it slightly. "Have your views changed at all then, Jacob Rees-Mogg?"

Helena loves saying his surname, and the fact it will be _their_ surname sings out in her chest, ringing through her body over and over. She lets her engagement ring brush his cheek, watches his skin deepen a slow crimson, and she tilts her mouth to his again, savouring him, the sweetness of the anticipation of this, their lives together, beating soft and heavy in her chest.

"You haven't answered my question" she teases, after several moments of contentedly preoccupied silence, breaking away to let the stud in her tongue tease at the corner of his mouth.

"I'm still considering." There's a breathy laugh in his voice.

Helena widens her eyes at him. "Perhaps you need some fresh evidence" she suggests innocently, tilting her head to one side and doing her best to convey the general impression that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, before pressing a kiss to the corner of his, teasing slowly.

Jacob's eyes widen as Helena sticks her tongue out at him, almost brushing his lips, then slowly begins to slide loose the lace of her camisole.

Jacob's eyes are widening, his finger pushing frantically at his glasses, his breath hot against her neck when he buries his forehead in her shoulder with a wild little sound. _"Helena."_

"What?" she says innocently, before she tugs at his tie, working it loose slowly with her fingers.

Off the slight anguish creeping into Jacob's gaze as he raises his head, she relents, touches his hand. "It's all right. We don't have to do any more than usual, my love."

Jacob squeezes his eyes shut, presses his forehead to hers'. Helena can tell he's trying to recover his composure.

 _"Seriously?"_ Netia had gawped at her, dropping a forkful of pancake as she stared at Helena. "You're not going to have sex with him until you're married?"

Helena had shrugged "Nope" she'd said, regarding her friends with a long gaze until they, abashed, dropped their stares. "Jacob's Catholic."

"And-" Annunziata had announced, holding up her own hand as she bit into her pancake. "My brother. Just a little reminder, here."

Netia had stared at her. "But you're not. And you have....you know, before."

Annunziata had snorted at that. Helena could hardly blame her, remembering her 21st birthday party.

But she'd shrugged. "But not with Jacob" she'd pointed out with a smile.

Annunziata had held up a hand. "My _brother."_

"But don't you-" Netia had frowned. "You know. Mind?"

Helena had considered this, taking in the genuine curiosity in Netia's eyes. "I did" she'd said, with a shrug. "But it's important to Jacob. And I love him." She'd smiled, knowing the mischievous glint was creeping into her eyes that always did when she thought about this part, that feels like hugging a secret to herself that she'll only ever share with him. "And besides, it'll make it even better."

At that, there had been a spluttering sound and the conversation had been diverted to do Annunziata the favour of performing the Heimlich, from which, Helena had to note admiringly, she recovered remarkably quickly, rapidly enough to lift her head as Netia was still rubbing her back-Charlotte, who'd been strolling back over to the table, smoothie in hand, almost dropping the glass at the chaos that had befallen her gaze-"What? What'd I miss?"-and declare, in the ragged tone of someone who'd smoked for seventy years, "For the last bloody time, _my brother."_

But, what Helena hadn't told them-partly out of concern to preserve Annunziata's life, since she'd rather like her best friend to be present at her wedding-was that there are plenty of other things she and Jacob can do in the meantime.

Helena kisses him slowly again, deeper, letting her hands slide into his hair, lets her tongue explore his mouth. Jacob moans plaintively, his hands almost tentatively caressing her sides, moving to her hips, and, when his fingers touch her bare skin, sending hot shivers through her body from the places they touch, he moans into her mouth, before he pulls back, breathing hard. Helena _aches_ at the look on his face, his eyes wide behind his glasses, his usually carefully-parted hair in disarray, his cheeks flushed, utterly breathless.

"Helena" he whispers.

"Mmmm?"

Jacob gives her an anguished, pleading look and Helena, with a smile, lets her camisole fall loose, pulls it over her head for ease, nearly falling into Jacob's lap as she does so. Jacob catches her half around the waist, even as she emerges, beaming down at him, knowing her lips are flushed ruby red from the long, blissful kissing, making her hair look blonder, her eyes bluer, and Jacob closes his eyes at the sight, looking sweetly despairing.

"I want you" Helena murmurs, straddling Jacob in her bra now, even as Jacob's hands slide up and down her back, blissful trembles of sensation over her skin.

"I-Helena-"

"I know" she murmurs. "I mean-I want-what we do. I want that. You. Here, now."

Jacob's eyes are alight behind his glasses. _"Here?"_ he breathes, as if even the thought is almost too shocking to contemplate.

Helena had suggested it partly on an instinct-they'd been out at some party earlier this evening, people laughing about moments of teenage indiscretions, Helena happily chipping in her own, enjoying the way Jacob's eyes widened as he listened, the thrill of arousal his voice, low and amused, sent through her as he'd murmured into her ear "I had no idea you were intrigued by such nefarious activities."

Helena had smirked. "Am I to surmise you did not share that interest?"

"You surmise correctly." Jacob's eyes had glinted behind his glasses. (God, that turns her on. She's going to have to insist he wears those glasses on their wedding night.) _(Only_ those glasses.)

"You never parked on country lanes then?" Helena had teased, tilting her face up to his, playing with his tie. "in the back seat of your Bentley, for instance?"

Jacob's eyebrow had quirked. "Certainly not."

The words had teased at the air between them, and Helena had smiled sweetly up at him, taking that and the sudden anticipation thrumming in the air between them as a challenge.

It had been on the way back to Jacob's that she'd murmured "Do you feel like pulling over?"

Jacob had shot her an adorably bewildered look, forehead crumpling.

Helena had smiled. "I think it would be very prudent of us to check your backseat thoroughly."

It had taken a moment for Jacob's eyes to widen. Helena's never heard the Bentley's brakes screech before.

Now, she kisses him again slowly, feels Jacob murmur something against her neck. "What was that?" she whispers, untucking his shirt, letting her fingers tickle his stomach. She feels Jacob's skin tauten with a wild gasp. Helena loves this moment, the moment she sees that omnipresent self-control of his slip through his fingers, and slowly, she reaches up behind her to unhook her bra.

 _"Helena!"_ Jacob almost squeaks in surprise. God, she loves him. "Are-are you sure you-"

Helena presses their foreheads together. "Yes" she says, with a grin, as if he doesn't ask this every time. "I trust you."

Jacob makes a groaning little sound. "I know-I-"

"Shhh." Helena puts a finger to his lips. "Kiss me."

She sees Jacob's eyes, pupils dilated, widen behind his glasses and then darken with unmistakeable desire. When his mouth finds hers', Helena moans softly at the sheer, slow possession of the kiss, the slow caress of his tongue, the soft but deepening grip of his fingers in her hair.

She'd happily have sex with him. God, if Jacob whispered to her right now that he'd decided to throw out the window all the stuff about waiting to actually make love to her until they're married, she'd have sex with him right here, right now, here on this seat in his Bentley, half-against the car door, with him propped over her, looking down at her through those spectacles of his, feeling him move inside her. The thought makes her gasp, arousal twisting through her body, a flush rising to her cheeks, creeping down to her breasts, and slowly, she lets her bra fall and then she takes Jacob's hand and lifts it to touch her, her heart slamming against his palm.

She still remembers the look on Jacob's face when she finally burst out with why she was so furious with him one night. They'd been in the Bentley, as a matter of fact, sitting in the front, and-God, she's ashamed to think of it now, but she hadn't taken it seriously enough back then, had been convinced that all this waiting for marriage stuff was just Jacob's very polite way of saying he didn't fancy her, because he'd be too bloody _nice_ to dump her-and even though she cringes to remember it, she'd ripped open her blouse-actually ripped it open, she'd pulled one of the buttons off-and half-shouted at him, so that he'd nearly flinched back, _"There,_ you can tell me if you just don't like me, all right? You don't have to go along with this bloody _charade_ if you just-if you just don't want-"-and Jacob had stared at her for a long moment, chest rising and falling, and then she'd looked back at him, eyes mortifyingly damp, and before she'd had time to wipe them, to look away-he'd grabbed her-physically _grabbed_ her, stealing the breath from her lungs-and then he'd been kissing her with nothing like his usual restraint, kissing her with wild abandon, and she'd been returning each kiss harder, Jacob almost fighting his way into the same seat as her, his glasses almost falling off in a tangle of hands and mouths and skin.

When he'd pulled away again minutes later, Helena could have wept with frustration, barely noticing the way Jacob's hands had uncharacteristically curled into fists, the way he almost rammed his head into them. She'd bent forward, burying her face in her knees to hide the tears already running down her cheeks, and almost immediately Jacob's arms had been around her, rigid with panic, apologising about twenty times in the space of one minute for losing his temper-Helena had managed to crack a smile at what Jacob classified as a loss of temper-and then eventually, she'd lifted her head and said, simply, aware that her mascara was smeared and her cheeks were wet and her hair was tangled and she must look a mess anyway, so why not say it, "I want to. With you. And it-hurts. It feels like you-don't."

Jacob's jaw had actually dropped. "You-you th-think I-" Helena had barely ever seen him stutter before, but this time, she'd barely noticed, staring at her knees, feeling a flush creep up her cheeks at her next confession.

"And-" Her arms had tightened as she'd managed to say the words. "I'm-you know."

One glance at Jacob had said that he didn't know.

Helena had groaned, squeezed her eyes shut, because even though she _knew_ there was no reason at all to be embarrassed about this, that it was perfectly natural, that she was perfectly _entitled_ to feel it, apart from anything, it was quite another thing when it came to actually saying it out loud.

"I'm-it-you know. When we-it-you get me-" She'd cringed at the words, because God, this was mortifying. "You get me. I want to. With you. You get-God, you get me _turned on,_ all right? And when we stop-"

She'd let the rest of her sentence hang in the air, sure her face was about to erupt into a furnace, staring very hard at her tights.

When she'd forced herself to look up, almost defiantly, a few moments later, bracing herself, her eyes had met Jacob's with a jolt of shock.

Jacob had been staring at her, his mouth open, eyes huge behind his glasses, his cheeks flushed. Staring at each other, his mouth had opened and closed several times, before, all his usual erudition crumbling, he'd stammered out in a voice suspiciously close to a squeak, "By-by _me?"_

Helena had stared at him for a moment, disbelief and almost painful affection warring in her chest, before the words had burst out of her, in what was almost a slightly hysterical laugh. "Of course by _you_ , you silly goose!"

She'd kissed Jacob then, hard, on his mouth, then on his temple, then on his cheek, then on his nose, taking his face between his hands, that affection flooding her chest, fondness shaking laughter out of her, kissing his mouth again, pressing their foreheads together with a beam. "Of course by _you!"_

Jacob had stared back at her, incredulously, for a long moment, and then his face had broken into a delightfully gleeful, almost schoolboyish grin. With that, Helena couldn't resist kissing him again.

Now, Helena wriggles with pleasure beneath him, tugs at his collar-Jacob's remarkably shy about taking his shirt off, which is one thing she wishes she could persuade him into. But she relishes the moment she slides his suit from his shoulders, runs her hands down his sides, feels him shiver. She loves these fragile kisses, touches almost whispering between their mouths, Jacob's thumb stroking her cheek, kissing her neck slowly, in a way that makes Helena _hmm_ happily.

" _Ad astra, ad libitum"_ Jacob murmurs into her ear, and Helena trembles at the Latin, the way Jacob wraps his tongue lovingly around the words, especially when he follows that up with exploring her neck very slowly.

"Jacob" she murmurs, only half-knowing what she wants to ask him, her legs wrapping around his waist-and then she feels him, hot and hard against her through her skirt, and they both gasp.

Jacob mutters something that sounds ragged, desperate, shunting at his glasses frantically, and Helena pulls him back down by the collar with a grin-she almost regrets unfastening his tie, because _God,_ she loves pulling him in by that-and nuzzles his neck, exploring down to his collarbone. She struggles to roll down her fishnet stockings, hoicks up her skirt and smiles at Jacob, who's staring at her like he can't even believe what he's seeing.

" _Cor meum tibi offero"_ he breathes, his eyes on hers', and Helena feels as though she's lighting up, as though all she has to do is open her mouth to let light pour out of her, her heart pounding.

"I love you" is all she can whisper back, but Jacob's forehead touches hers', and then they kiss slowly, deeply, almost side by side, one of Jacob's legs bracing himself on the floor, which makes them both giggle, Helena tracing Jacob's glasses, deliberately knocking them askew as he tries to straighten them. She traces his nose, drops a kiss on the end of it. "You're gorgeous" she breathes, for the blush that makes its' way up Jacob's cheeks at the words.

 _"Contradicto in terminis"_ he murmurs, and Helena swats his shoulder, kisses the corner of his mouth so she can feel his grin, trails her fingers through his hair.

"I can't wait to be married to you" she whispers, just to watch him shudder with that incredulous, trembling look, as though there's so much joy in him he can't stand it.

She still relishes with a grin the memory of that woman's face at one of those Tory meetings, a few months back, who'd gawped at them as though Helena had announced that from now on, she only planned to raise her eyes with her husband's permission.

"You're not going to _work?"_ one of them had squawked, as though Helena had just announced she'd handed Jacob the key to a chastity belt.

Helena had taken a great deal of pleasure in the slow shake of her head, savoured the tang of the wine on her tongue.

"Nope" she'd said, with a big, bright, take-your-reverse-misogyny-and-go-and-fuck-yourself-with-it smile. "Not at first, at least."

"But you will go back, won't you? When the children are older?"

Helena had shrugged. "Might. Might not."

One of them had actually placed a hand over her heart, as though Helena had just spat on a Bible. "But-is-is-just because-your husband _wants_ you to stay at home-"

"Who says my fiance wants me to stay at home?" Helena had let her voice cool the slightest bit, let her gaze, hard and steady, rest on the woman's, until the other looked away, cheeks crimson. Letting it remind them who they were dealing with, not because of her surname, but in spite of it.

"Well-well, I suppose we just-assumed-"

"But won't you want something to feel fulfilled?" the louder of the two had asked-Helena can imagine she's the sort of woman who always came in second at school, missing the top spot by just a few marks, and always pretended not to mind, who today worries about which brand of quinoa to buy and lectures people about the importance of state education while wrapped snugly in a cashmere sweater.

Helena had considered the many responses she could make to this-several of which a few years beforehand she wouldn't have hesitated to fling into the woman's face, possibly along with the wine. But she'd taken a deep breath and thought of Jacob and flashed another, brighter smile.

(Also, she's developed more of an appreciation for wine.)

"Trust me" she'd said, and she'd smiled, letting her tongue stud tap lovingly on the rim of the wineglass, the sound ringing through the air. "I think I'll be pretty fulfilled."

"Mmmm." Jacob's kissing her neck now, seemingly focusing all of his endless concentration on the one divot between her neck and her shoulder, and Helena can't help but arch, sighing when she manages to press against his hip and Jacob breathes into her neck " _Propiis alis volas."_

"I don't know that one" Helena manages to breathe, through the haze of arousal that's leaving her almost whimpering, willing Jacob's fingers to wander lower.

Jacob frowns, lifting his head to press a distracted kiss to a corner of her mouth. "I may have mistranslated it, actually-"

Helena's fingers press his lips closed, stroke them gently. "Jacob" she says, softly, until his eyes meet hers', sharp hazel softening at her gaze. "Is Latin really what you would like to discuss right now?"

Jacob tilts his head to one side, studying her. "Hmmmm. What a shockingly difficult question."

Helena smiles. "Jacob-"

" _Est modus in-"_

Jacob trails off as Helena takes his hand with a smile, letting their gazes meet, making no attempt to disguise what she feels for him. His lips move silently, his eyes gloriously huge behind his glasses, as Helena slowly, gently places his hand around her breast.

Jacob lets out a murmured breath, his eyelashes fluttering rapidly. "Helena" he whispers, the word like a prayer, and Helena smiles up at him.

"I want you" she breathes. "I want-"

 _"Helena."_ Jacob's head buries itself in her shoulder, mouthing frantically at her skin. Helena lets her tongue stud tickle his ear, making him moan very sweetly, both of them trembling now, and Jacob's hands move.

When both his hands wrap around her breasts very gently, fingers stroking, slow, feathery tendrils of sensation quivering through her, and then both squeeze very softly, Helena feels her insides slowly dissolve. A high-pitched sound peals out of her throat and she arches, and then Jacob groans again, Helena's fingers digging into his shirt, and then she whispers, the words half-cracking into his ear, "Could you-could you maybe-"

Jacob's eyes, when they find hers', are glassy with arousal, but he holds himself still, his thumb lingering teasingly in the centre of her nipple, his mouth parting slightly as he feels it marble under his touch.

"Could you-" Helena bites her lip, then lets her gaze flicker up to Jacob's, and smiles, almost shyly. "Could you maybe-recite Shakespeare to me?"

Jacob stills against her. For a moment, he looks completely astonished, his eyes huge, as Helena presses her forehead to his.

Then he gives a strange, startled gasp and kisses her.

He doesn't just kiss her. One hand is in her hair and one is pressing into her jaw and he's kissing her like she's oxygen, making frantic sounds in the back of his throat, one of her legs half around his waist, his tongue exploring her mouth like he's trying to trace the back of her throat and when they break apart, Helena stares up at him, her heart pounding, losing her breath at the sheer light in his eyes.

"I thought you might like that" she manages, breathless, feeling Jacob's chest rise and fall against hers'.

Jacob makes a strangled sound in his throat, and Helena laughs, reaches up to cradle his face. "Are you actually going to be able to manage that?"

Jacob nods frantically, their heads bumping together. Helena laughs and then so does Jacob, ducking his head down to press his forehead into her shoulder, and then his thumb's stroking her nipple in a slow circle again, and his eyes grow soft and serious.

"Mmmm." Helena closes her eyes at the tickling sensation it sends through her, almost a tug of pleasure. "Mmmm. Please. It-when you talk, it-you really-" She fights back any embarrassment, murmurs into his ear. "It makes me ache for you."

Jacob gasps. Physically gasps, against her neck. His hand squeezes gently, involuntarily, and Helena moans at the touch, covers his hand with her own. "Please" she gasps. "Please, Jacob. I want you."

Jacob's glasses have slid down to the end of his nose, and Helena pushes them back up gently. "I want to make you feel good" she murmurs into his ear, and she almost feels his blush, all the way down his neck. "Whisper to me. While we-"

She can feel Jacob's breath hot, spasmodic against her neck. "I-Helena-"

Helena lets her hands creep then, slowly sliding his trousers down. Jacob jumps in shock, the way he often does when Helena's fingers brush his hips, and she smiles up at him. Slowly, she lets her fingers wander down, brush lower. Jacob's eyes close, with a sharp gasp, as Helena feels the wonderful, hard heat of him through the material. _"Helena."_

"Please" she whispers, and their eyes meet again, Jacob's hand moving up now slowly to stroke her cheek.

Slowly, a new emotion creeping into his eyes, something strangely certain, he nods, their lips pressing together once, almost nervously in a soft, sweet kiss. They kiss again, even slower, Jacob's hand cradling her cheek, his mouth warm and soft, and then slowly, he tilts her head down to the seat, murmurs into her ear, "Relax."

Helena's hand moves again and this time Jacob gently guides it back. "Afterwards" he whispers. "Let me."

Helena looks up at him, takes in the glint of his eyes behind those spectacles, the whisper of a mischievous grin at the corner of his mouth. She shivers happily, closes her eyes, giving herself over to the warmth of his mouth, kissing her slowly, luxuriating in the silk of his tongue against hers'. Jacob explores her mouth slowly, thoroughly, teasing her, and then gently sucks at her bottom lip, smiling at the way she gasps, her fingers fastening into his shirt-

_"Touch but my lips with those fair lips of thine."_

He only murmurs it but oh _God_ -Helena knows immediately this was a good idea.

Her fingers tighten in his shirt, and she only realises how loudly she's moaned when Jacob stares at her, eyes wide and bright and brighter behind his glasses.

"Sorry" she murmurs.

"Don't apologise." Jacob breathes softly, the words shaking between them. "I-it was-"

"Good?" Helena breathes hopefully.

Jacob's eyebrows arch rapidly-God, that does things to her-and then he gives her a shy smile.

"Very" he breathes.

"Keep going?" she asks plaintively, need aching at the sight of Jacob's almost rogueish smile.

Jacob presses a soft kiss to her mouth then, letting his fingers stroke her hair, nuzzling at her mouth at first, but then gently coaxing her mouth open so that it becomes a long kiss, leaving Helena breathless when he leans back, his hair in delightful disarray as she combs it with her fingers.

Slowly, Jacob smiles at her. Then he presses a kiss to her jaw, then a longer, teasing nibble under her jaw, making Helena wriggle, arch her neck, his voice a hot breath teasing her skin. _"Touch but my lips with those fair lips of thine-"_

His teeth catch her earlobe, nuzzling it very quickly. _"Though mine be not so fair, yet they are red-"_ And then his mouth finds the part between her neck and her shoulder, then kisses higher softly. Helena's eyes open and close, as her legs open and close around his waist, almost arching against him at the tickling tug of pleasure, and she can feel the smile in Jacob's voice as he murmurs. _"The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine."_

His mouth traces a slow, wondrous path then, pressing gentle kisses to her collarbone, then down to her heartbeat, lips whispering against her skin, making her hand curl into his hair.

 _"Love's not Time's fool-"_ His mouth presses over her heartbeat. Helena's eyes have closed almost without her noticing, and she's trembling, her breasts rising and falling, barely feeling the leather of the seats underneath her neck, every nerve suddenly attuned to the touch of Jacob's mouth, the way each kiss lingers a little longer, making her sigh.

 _"Though-_ " Jacob kisses lower and she feels his breath stutter against her skin. " _Rosy lips and cheek-"_

His eyes are alight behind his glasses when Helena looks at him, and the look steals her breath as he slowly lowers his mouth to her left breast, kissing her softly at first, with his finger coming up to tease around her nipple, both of them watching as it forms a slow rosy peak, as Jacob's long fingers dance in ever-tighter circles around her.

"Jacob" she murmurs, her voice ragged now, watching him smile mischievously up at her, eyes glinting behind those glasses. "Jacob, please-I-"

Jacob almost smirks. "Yes?"

"Jacob-"

"I have no idea what you could possibly mean."

"Jacob, _please."_

Jacob smiles then, and behind the light in his eyes, his gaze softens. Slowly, he lets his finger circle closer and closer, making Helena's breath shudder.

 _"My bounty-"_ he breathes, without looking away from her, his finger moving closer. _"Is as boundless as the sea-"_

His other hand's moving in wonderful circles on her stomach, teasing hot whispers of pleasure rippling up and down her body. Helena feels herself shake beneath him.

 _"My love as deep-"_ Jacob smiles, lets his finger linger softly for one moment, feels Helena tremble.

 _"The more I give to thee"_ he says, the words perfect in that precise, cut-glass voice of his, and then he strokes the peak of her nipple very softly.

The sensation bursts through her, throws her head back in a soft cry. She almost thrashes beneath Jacob, who laughs breathlessly at her reaction, and then he lowers his mouth to kiss, very softly, between her breasts.

Helena can't catch her breath, and then Jacob smiles, lets his hand rest around her other breast, then moves his fingers so that she fills his hands, making her ache, her hips lifting of their own accord, one of her hands grasping at Jacob's shirt, gripping desperately for purchase, and Jacob smiles down at her.

 _"The more I have-"_ Jacob lets his finger circle her other nipple slowly, making it peak with pleasure, making her gasp aloud, and then with that smile, eyebrows arching, eyes glinting behind those glasses. _"For both are infinite."_

His mouth closes, warm and soft, around her nipple.

Helena sees stars. Her back arches, one hand gripping Jacob's hair, a desperate, half-formed ragged noise against his neck, and then she can feel his tongue, warm and wet, and she half bucks against him, her legs around his waist.

Jacob makes a low noise into her skin, his glasses almost sliding off his nose-he makes an impatient noise and shunts them back up, before making an almost desperate sound as his mouth suckles at her very gently. She can feel him suddenly, hot and hard against her through his trousers, and then she feels him press urgently into her thigh, letting out a blissful, incredulous little cry.

But a moment later, he lifts his head, panting for breath, and manages to groan a "Wait-"

He squeezes his eyes shut, glasses hanging off one ear, hair in complete disarray, and Helena has to remind herself not to just pull him into another kiss, beg him to forget every single thing he believes and make love to her right now-

Jacob takes several deep breaths, and Helena reaches for his hand gently. "You can-if you need-"

Jacob shakes his head, his eyes still slightly unfocused. "Not yet-" he manages, his voice an octave lower than usual, much rougher. "Not yet-I want-"

Helena cradles his face, watches as he takes a long, deep breath, his lips moving silently, murmuring something she can't hear. When he opens his eyes again, he looks calmer, a little more restrained, and his mouth quirks a little. "I'm sorry."

Helena shakes her head, feeling herself melt all over again. "Don't be" she murmurs. "You can, if you want-"

Jacob shakes his head, blushing sweetly. "I rather want it to be-"

"Ladies first?" Helena offers, with a grin.

"Well, quite."

Helena laughs, gently guides Jacob down so that their mouths meet again, kissing slowly, fondly, then deeper, Jacob's arms wrapping around her, almost lifting her against him, their tongues caressing, savouring each other, before Jacob lowers her down again, and, with a smile, maps a gentle path back to her breasts, with soft, warm kisses.

 _"Love, and that breeds hot blood-"_ His voice is whispering against her heartbeat and Helena closes her eyes, luxuriating in the knowledge that he can feel her heart beating faster and faster, her body growing hotter by the second.

 _"And hot blood-"_ Jacob's breath is hot and rapid against Helena's skin, nuzzles at her breast. _"Begets hot thoughts-"_

He kisses slowly, softly. Helena quivers in anticipation.

 _"And hot thoughts beget hot deeds-"_ Jacob presses their foreheads together, staring at her-just staring, his eyes blazing now, his gaze a touch of its' own as it moves over her, all over. Helena stares back, wordless, their look a conversation in itself. Jacob smiles very gently, then slides down, kisses once, then again.

 _"And-"_ He whispers, smiling up at her, even managing to push his glasses back up his nose again with a wry grin. _"Hot deeds is love."_

Slowly, he rounds his mouth gently over her nipple.

This time, pleasure floods her body slowly and Helena turns her head to the side and moans his name, low and long, with no thought of holding it back. Jacob's fingers stroke her cheek slowly, gently, even as his tongue teases her slowly, makes her gasp. His fingers wander down to her other nipple, tease round and round slowly, pleasure tugging deeper and deeper under her skin, until Helena hears herself make a low, desperate sound, her fingers wrapping around Jacob's wrist, trying to guide him down lower, under her skirt.

"Mmm-" Jacob shakes his head, gently but firmly guides her hand back up. "Patience."

_"Jacob."_

"Patience is a virtue-" She could have heard the smile in his voice even with her eyes closed. "Patience is a virtue."

He sweeps his hands up and down her sides, from her breasts to her hips, sending ripples of sensation through her. "Virtue is a grace."

"Jacob, if you finish that rhyme-"

"And Grace is a little girl who didn't wash her face-"

Helena can't help but laugh, even through a whimper of need, and Jacob smiles at her. She sticks her tongue out at him, knowing what the sight of the stud does to him, and he bites his lip, looking away with a rueful grin. Helena leans up to capture his mouth in a slow, deep kiss, tracing his lips with her tongue, letting the stud tickle him, capturing his moan in her mouth, but he pulls back with a grin, letting his finger rest over her lips. Helena gives up the pretence, tugs at his wrist pleadingly.

"Soon. I promise you." Jacob smiles at her, then lowers his mouth to her nipple again and does something with his tongue that makes any words spin into nonsense.

 _"Jacob."_ The word comes out as a plea and Jacob smiles, lets his mouth work lower, his fingers doing wonderful things to her nipples now, teasing and dancing, while he kisses down her ribs, one by one, feeling her stomach ripple and tremble under his mouth.

 _"The tender spring upon thy tempting lip-"_ he murmurs, and then his tongue teases at her navel, making her squeal, and he stares up at her with a look of utter delight.

 _"Shows thee unripe-"_ He kisses below her stomach, and Helena feels her whole body drop delightfully at the thought of where his mouth's going. Jacob, feeling the jump in her body, smiles up at her, begins to move his fingers in slow feathery strokes down her thighs-Helena shakes under his touch, glories in the thought that she's helped him learn this, that she's the only one who's ever felt Jacob Rees-Mogg touch her like this. Lucky her, she thinks smugly, and then she imagines how, if just his touches feel like this, what their wedding night will be like, and the thought makes her whimper aloud.

Slowly, Jacob reaches up her skirt. He stops, hesitant, and she feels his fingers shake against her skin, the way they always do when they do this, and she nods urgently, wanting to feel him there, now, Jacob, please-

Jacob kisses her again, very softly, and then slowly strokes her thighs, letting them fall open. He smiles at her, eyes dancing mischievously.

 _"Yet-"_ he whispers, his breath shaking against her thighs. _"Mayst thou well be tasted."_

He presses a very soft kiss against the material. It's barely a press of his lips, but he brushes the right place, the right spot, and Helena hears herself moan, her head back, one hand tightening in Jacob's hair, even as he leans back teasingly, making her ache for more.

"Jacob." Her voice is ragged now, and Jacob smiles at her, turns his head and silences her with a soft kiss to her thigh. Helena lets her eyes flutter, giving herself over with a sigh to the wonderful quivering sensations, the warm touches of his lips, the slow, sensuous strokes down to her knees and back up, the slow waves of pleasure she can feel building under her skin, each touch coaxing them higher.

 _"Jacob."_ She says his name again, blissfully now, letting her thoughts be pulled under into long, quivering tremors. "Jacob-"

"Is this-"

" _Keep going."_

She can hear the smile in Jacob's voice. "That's not very polite." His breath's teasing her skin, making her shudder and jump, teasing her, and then, letting that steely edge enter his voice that he knows she loves, "We don't want to forget our manners, now, do we?"

Helena can't help but moan very softly at the electric desire that springs through her at that _tone_ , and Jacob's eyes, behind his glasses, widen with delight. She's wriggling, urgently needing now, and Jacob, sensing the change in her body, gives her a soft kiss to the knee, and then, gently, guides down her knickers to just past her calves, letting her kick them loose without either of them having to move too much.

She hears his breath catch for a moment, and then she plucks up the courage to raise her head and watch his expression as he stares at her, lips parted slightly, his usually sharp gaze almost glassy behind his glasses, a slow fire growing there to match the feelings growing in her body, that she's sure will have her begging him soon, please, please, please make me-

Jacob takes a deep breath, shuts his eyes as though fighting for control, then opens them again, and the look there takes Helena's breath away. They're blazing, staring into her own, leaving them both breathless, speechless, and Helena just murmurs "I love you."

Jacob stares at her and then slowly lowers his mouth. Helena waits, quivering in anticipation, until his mouth presses below her stomach, above her hair, and she shivers, whimpering.

Jacob's hands stroke her thighs. _"Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night"_ he murmurs, his voice almost a whisper, and Helena lets her legs fall open without a second thought.

Jacob's hands stroke slowly, surely now, and his fingers wander up, so close to where Helena needs them that she can barely breathe.

 _"That runaway's eyes may wink-"_ Jacob's eyes hold her own over his glasses. Helena feels herself quiver, her whole body open to him, asking for him. Wanting to give herself over.

She smiles at him, knowing without needing to see that he's drinking in everything she's feeling from that smile, and Jacob gives a little stuttering gasp, and then his fingers stroke her outer lips, very gently, and Helena loses her breath.

_"And Romeo leap to these arms, untalked of and unseen-"_

One of Jacob's long, slender, nimble fingers strokes very slowly around her, not touching yet, but so very close. Helena can feel the whisper of touch, the promise of it, and she just lets herself sigh his name.

 _"Lovers can see to do their amorous rites-"_ Jacob smiles at her, almost rogueishly from between her legs, and the mere sight of him there can still undo her.

 _"By their own beauties, if love be blind-"_ Jacob just looks at her then, his own chest rising and falling sharply, his glasses almost crooked, his hair very slightly in disarray. God, the sight's delicious.

His eyebrows arch mischievously and Helena melts, lets herself tremble underneath his hands. Lets herself say his name, very softly, her whole body almost liquid with arousal now. _"Jacob."_

Jacob just looks at her. Helena touches his cheek, his jaw. They stare at each other for a long moment, before Jacob smiles.

 _"It best agrees with night"_ he whispers, and then he lets two fingers stroke inside her lips slowly, so slowly, each touch of these places stealing their breath.

Helena's whole body arches. She can feel Jacob's fingers teasing her slowly, tracing each inch of her, melting her. She can hear herself gasping, knows she's saying his name, but her thoughts have dissolved. She tries, desperately, with her hips to urge Jacob's fingers to where she wants them, but he won't be hurried, and when she looks down at him urgently, he's smiling up at her, his eyes bright, glasses askew.

 _"My flesh is soft and plump-"_ he murmurs to her, and each word sends her blood hotter, her heartbeat higher. _"My marrow burning-my smooth moist hand, were it with thy hand felt-"_

Slowly, Jacob's other hand moves, gently spreading her open a little, very carefully, and then as one finger traces slowly, sensually down the centre, another circles and circles the place that's growing wetter and warmer with each of his words. Helena can hear herself gasping, knows she's clutching at Jacob's shirt, almost ripping it, can feel the sensation gathering inside her, opening out like petals tickled by sunshine, as Jacob's touch moves closer and closer to the small bud of sensation that's ready to burst.

 _"Would in thy palm dissolve-"_ Jacob lets his palm press against her very softly, just for a moment, and Helena whimpers, as Jacob's finger tiptoes closer, almost dreamily.

 _"Or seem to melt"_ he whispers, and then his finger strokes that small bud once.

Pleasure bursts out, and Helena's whole body quivers with a small cry. The car seems to shimmer around her, and her body arches, and her fingers dig into Jacob's shirt to anchor herself, her thoughts erupting into stars.

 _"Jacob."_ Her voice shatters on his name, and she arches even as he manages to withdraw his finger gently, making her groan. "Jacob, _please-"_

Jacob smiles, though even through the haze of arousal Helena can make out the wide-eyed awestruck look behind his glasses that he always wears when he reduces her to begging, as though he can't believe that just his touches can do this to her.

 _"You-"_ Jacob kisses her thigh, and Helena jumps slightly, whole body trembling for another touch. _"O so perfect and so peerless-"_ and his fingers move slowly back to the place that leaves her breathless.

_"Please-"_

" _Are created of every creature's best."_ Jacob breathes the words reverently and then two fingers brush that spot, sending a gasp of pleasure through her body and then-

The touch is gone. Helena whimpers. She feels rather than hears Jacob laugh, the sound tickling her thighs.

_"Please."_

Jacob meets her eyes then, his hands parting her thighs, and then he smiles up at her suddenly. Helena stares back, breathlessly, needing- _please-_

Jacob's smiling at her, between her thighs, his lips flushed and swollen, and Helena's thoughts reel with arousal.

 _"Graze on my lips-"_ -and Jacob's voice is almost rough in his throat now, cut-glass syllables still shaping themselves around each word. _"And if those hills be dry-"_

Helena's shaking, now, and then as Jacob lowers his head slowly, she hears herself make a low, almost disbelieving sound because oh-oh God, he's going to-

Jacob's eyes meet hers'. He smiles.

 _"Stray lower, where the pleasant fountains lie."_ Jacob whispers this, the words tickling between her legs, and then, with one smile, those eyes sharp, blazing hazel, his lips press themselves very softly against that bud, and then his tongue touches her, warm and wet, once, then again, then more.

Helena melts into a flood of pleasure then. She can hear herself moaning, feel herself shaking, but all of it seems vague, distant, under the wet, soft warmth of Jacob's mouth moving against _rightthereJacobyesyesmoreplease-_

 _"Jacob-"_ Helena's head's tilted back, staring unseeingly at the roof of the Bentley, one hand twisting in Jacob's hair, one in his back, and then she feels a soft moaning sound between her legs, against her, and oh God, the thought that this is doing something for _Jacob-_

"Please" she says, and her chest's rising and falling now, her breath ragged, the words crumbling under each stroke of Jacob's tongue, under the wave of pleasure that's widening out inside her, the tremors rolling through her, the sensations swelling. "Jacob, _please-"_

Jacob's mouth leaves her and Helena _keens_ , but then Jacob slides up her body gently, their foreheads almost bumping together, and his hand gently moves down to stroke between her legs.

"Soon" he gasps, still looking almost stunned by her reactions. "Just-I want to-look at you-"

Helena melts at that, and then Jacob lifts his hand, gently folding and unfolding his fingers, and looks at her questioningly, and Helena's heart skips, her stomach plunging pleasantly.

"Would you-would you like-"

Helena nods before he can finish the sentence, and the resulting beam splits Jacob's face in two.

He wriggles up between Helena's legs, nearly falls off the seat, his hand on her cheek, making Helena burst out laughing. Jacob gives her a rueful smile, pushes his glasses further up his nose.

 _"For such as I am, all true lovers are-"_ He presses a kiss to Helena's neck, with that quirk of the eyebrows. _"Unstaid and skittish in all motions else."_

Helena bursts out laughing into Jacob's shoulder, pulls him closer and then she kisses him very softly, long and almost nervous, both of them trembling. She leans back, rests their foreheads together, each of them staring at the other, his glasses nearly pressing into her cheek. Helena can feel him shaking, and she cradles his cheek slowly with one hand, strokes his face in a slow circle of her thumb.

 _"Save in the constant image of the creature that is beloved"_ Jacob murmurs, his eyes soft and alight, and their lips meet, very softly, gently.

"Jacob" is all Helena says, and he gives her his Question Mark expression. She nods frantically.

Smiling, Jacob looks into her eyes as his hand moves down her body. Helena's eyes almost flutter closed but she forces herself to keep them open, to watch the light in his eyes, until she feels his hand there, and she whimpers, spreading her legs, reaching down to help him. "Here-almost-"

Jacob's finger slowly circles her and then he moves and they both gasp. For a second, they lie there, staring at each other, Helena's breath caught in her chest, barely daring to move, before Jacob, very slowly, moves deeper into her, and she can _feel_ him, arching her body around him, and God, that's so-

"Jacob" she whispers, unable to summon anything more articulate, and Jacob's eyes widen, even as his breathing becomes harsher, more rapid. He turns his face away, and squeezes his eyes shut suddenly.

Helena gasps, trying to ignore the wonderful sensation of Jacob's finger curling gently inside her. "Jacob-are you OK-"

Jacob nods hastily. "Yes. Yes, I'm perfectly-"

"Sure?"

Jacob blushes sweetly, the colour rising up to his hairline. "I-ah-" He bites his lip. _"Flesh stays no further reason, but rising at thy name"_ he murmurs, blushing so deeply he could provide illumination.

Helena blinks, then smiles slowly, even as she feels the pleasure and fondness building slowly in her body, just from the slow movement of his finger, the soft press of another. "Are you-are you sure you don't want me to-"

Jacob shakes his head, his breathing rapid now. "No. After you."

Helena smiles at him. "Jacob-"

But she doesn't get any further because then a second of Jacob's long, wondrous nimble fingers press inside her and she gasps, her hands curling into his shirt, and then they both groan as Jacob's fingers stroke, slowly but surely inside her. Jacob grips her arm tightly, gasping into her neck now, but then he gently tilts her chin, keeping their gazes locked and moves slower, more smoothly, sending slow, wonderful quivers through her.

 _"Hear my soul speak-"_ Jacob's eyes are on fire now, Helena's fingers curling into the seat beneath her, one hand fisted into his shirt, and then she lets go, braids her fingers into his hair, both of them breathless now, hearts pounding. Helena's eyes squeeze shut, then open, as they fall into a slow, glorious rhythm.

 _"The very instant that I saw you-"_ Jacob closes his eyes and gasps her name, then stares back at her, lips moving wordlessly.

 _"Did my heart fly to your service-"_ and then Jacob's fingers stroke something inside Helena that sends a long note of pleasure rolling through her and her head falls back with a moan.

Jacob stares at her, incredulous, and Helena nods at him frantically, urging him onwards, and then he presses, teasing, with a slow smile and pleasure ripples out and through her body, deeper and deeper, with each stroke of his fingers.

Helena feels like she's music, like she's an instrument that he's playing slowly and expertly, notes long and sweet, and she arches her hips a little, feels them wobble, her toes curling in her tights, one of her feet almost pressing against the glass, making her giggle, and then pulls Jacob's mouth to hers', hot and open and perfect.

 _"There resides to make me slave to it."_ Jacob's words are low and hot, his eyes on hers', his glasses askew, his hair in complete disarray, cheeks flushed, his heart slamming against hers. Helena's insides are melting, quivering, ready. She can feel those notes sliding into one another, hear her own gasps for breath, feel a slow, wonderful crescendo building in her body, bigger and bigger, feel every inch of Jacob's long, clever fingers.

Then she feels the press of Jacob's thumb, soft and gentle, closer and closer, and then he just ghosts over-

 _"Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks"_ Jacob murmurs, as Helena arches, utterly involuntarily-she can't help it, the swell of sensation leaving her trembling, sure she's going to burst or explode or lose her senses, and then his thumb begins stroking in slow, careful circles and Helena hears herself let out a desperate, inarticulate cry at the long aching burst of pleasure, aware of every breath, that she's climbing higher and higher-

 _"But bears it out even to the edge of doom-"_ Jacob brings his forehead to hers' without moving his hand, his fingers still moving slowly, surely, taking Helena there gradually, stroke by stroke, leaving her so close she can almost taste it, pleasure intense and quivering and building-

 _"If this be error and upon me proved-"_ Jacob tilts her chin, whispers. "Helena."

Helena's eyes open without her realising they'd closed. She shakes.

 _"I never writ, nor no man ever loved."_ Jacob's mouth is so close to her own, each word almost kisses her. "Helena-"

"I'm-"

Jacob nods frantically, his own face anguished with pleasure. Helena can feel herself, she's there, she's going to-

 _"O heaven, o earth bear witness to this sound-"_ Jacob smiles at her, moves his hand slowly, almost casually, one thumb brushing her mouth, feeling her gasps stutter against his skin. _"And crown what I profess with kind intent, if I speak true-"_

His fingers move in long, careful strokes now, teasing that wonderful place, sensations rippling out, more and more, closer and closer. His thumb stays sweetly, torturously still, and Helena cries out just from that.

_"Beyond all limit-"_

Jacob's thumb moves. There's a wonderful, aching, starburst of sensation, and Helena feels herself cry out as well as hears it, as she's held there, tremors of pleasure rippling through every part of her body, and she's there, she's there, every note pulling high and sweet and tight, making her shake in these last few glorious seconds-

_"I' th' world-"_

The sensation swells in her body, aching and sweet and wonderful, notes rippling out and up, her whole body poised to let go, that crescendo of his fingers and mouth and words and kisses building bigger and bigger.

_"Do love-"_

Jacob kisses between her breasts. Helena cries out.

_"Prize-"_

A slow, warning, blissful shudder takes her body.

_"Honour you."_

Jacob's thumb moves wonderfully, his fingers press and his mouth closes very softly, in one suckling kiss, over her nipple, sending a spark of sensation through her, and then the swell of sensation bursts through her body, that crescendo pulled tight, glorious, taut, and-and-

The softest shudder of pleasure ripples through her. Then another, then another, and oh, oh God-

"Jacob-" is all she manages, one hand in his hair, their noses pressing together, her eyes on his, her body waiting, slowly surrendering, as the wave starts to fall-

And then a long, swelling wave of pleasure ripples and then teeters and then she feels everything let go-

There's a moment of breathless silence-

And then pleasure floods through her in a long, glorious, aching wave, and her eyes are fluttering and she knows she's crying out, but can barely hear her own voice, can feel Jacob's fingers inside her, still moving slowly, gently, deliberately, sweet sensations swelling and bursting from his thumb, sending stars exploding behind her eyes, her whole body crying out in pleasure, her head back, release sending her back arching, her legs tightening, and her stomach plunging as she falls, crushed tight against Jacob's chest, every aching ripple sweeter than the last, until her eyes slowly roll up in her head, and she thinks, blissfully, that nothing can feel better than this, with Jacob's fingers and mouth and voice, being held by him, knowing it's him doing this to her, for her, almost bringing tears to her eyes, aching with love.

With a last shudder, she falls still, even as Jacob murmurs to her, murmurs her name, how much he loves her, slowly brings his hands up to caress her nipples, sending more shudders of pleasure through her, small aftershocks through her body, until finally, with a sigh, she sinks down into his chest with a warm shiver, a blissful half-darkness lapping at her eyes, Jacob's hand cupping her cheek, cradling her against him.

It seems like only a few seconds later that her eyes open, but she can immediately tell from the drowsy confusion that it must be longer; that she must have fallen asleep. She lifts her head, nearly bumps it on Jacob's chin, and only then realises he's tucked her into his lap, and that his coat's around her shoulders, giving her something to huddle under should she so desire.

"Helena?" Jacob's mouth brushes her head, his hands moving slowly over her bare skin, even as she basks in the drowsy contentment filling her body, which is still luxuriating in the warmth of the afterglow. "Are you-did I wake you?"

Helena shakes her head, staring up at him. "Not at all." She reaches up, strokes his cheek slowly, then his glasses, then his lips, which part under her touch.

Jacob's mouth twitches. "Was that-um-satisfactory?"

Helena stares at him, then feels her face break into a huge beam. She doesn't try to hide it. Instead, she reaches up and kisses him, letting herself enjoy it, snuggling into him.

When they break apart, she smiles up at him, cuddled into his chest. "Wow, Jacob Rees-Mogg."

Jacob blushes. It's one of the cutest things Helena's ever seen, along with the huge grin he's clearly struggling to fight back and the awkward shuffling of his fingers, which makes her grab his hand, bring it to her mouth and kiss it.

"I-I'm afraid I rather muddled up some of the quotes." Jacob's speaking in the rushed way that tells Helena he has no idea what to say next, and she ruffles his hair. "I-I thought that a wider selection would be more-appropriate for these-ah-purposes."

For a moment, Helena loves him so much she can't speak.

"I'm afraid I had rather a short time frame" Jacob tells her, blinking at her as though butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. "But I'm sure if you ever wished to-ah-repeat the exercise, I could research some more extensive quotations."

His mouth twitches very slightly.

Helena stares at him and then pulls him in for another long, slow kiss. "I love you" she whispers, when they come up for air a considerable amount of time later-Jacob's staring at her with that awestruck expression again and she cups his face. "Really love you."

Jacob blinks several times and then, even as she feels the blush creep up his face under her hand, says very rapidly "I must confess, I always found _Romeo and Juliet_ to be rather an overused cliche, but nevertheless-"

He shuts up very abruptly then, because Helena's mouth is on his, and there's no more talking for a few minutes. When Helena slowly sucks on his bottom lip, Jacob lets out a sweet little groan, as though she's squeezed all his insides very gently, and then she feels him wriggle, carefully angling himself away from her. Frowning, she gently pulls away and murmurs "What is it?"

If Jacob was blushing before, it's nothing to what he's doing now. "I-ah-"

Helena, studying him carefully, suddenly feels a slow smile creep to her mouth. Slowly, she sits up, gently lets his coat fall away from her, watches him make a monumental effort not to let his gaze drop down. His body jerks slightly, and Helena deliberately moves so that when he wriggles, biting his lip, she feels him press against her hip, and he lets out a low moan before biting harder.

 _"Oh."_ Helena smiles, shifting further, teasingly onto his lap-Jacob shunts at his glasses frantically and looks away. Helena catches his hand gently. "You haven't?"

Jacob licks his lips. "I-I-you honestly don't need to-"

Helena silences him with another soft kiss. "I want to" she says, with a smile. "Let me."

Jacob gives an odd, involuntary little shudder of pleasure, and Helena laughs. "Come here."

She gives him light, whispering little kisses down his neck, making Jacob jump with each one as slowly, she unzips and unbuttons his trousers-she'd love to kiss down his chest, but he's shy about taking his shirt off and, judging by the urgent little whimpers that he's letting out by the time she reaches his collarbone, she's not inclined to make him wait too long. Besides, plenty of time for _that_ sort of thing-as Jacob might once have put it-when they get home. By the time she's stroking through his underwear, Jacob's eyes are glassy with arousal, his cheeks scarlet, the wide-eyed gaze he turns on her making him look much, much younger.

Helena smiles at him. "Jacob" she whispers, leaning in so that her mouth brushes his. "You are allowed to look at me, you know."

And she takes his hand and lays it back on her breast very softly.

Jacob lets out a moan like he's being killed in the sweetest possible manner. Helena smiles at him, then slowly slides her hand in, savours the rush of contact against her hand, the moment Jacob's eyes widen and his hips give an odd little bucking motion at her touch, before his eyes squeeze shut and he lets out a little _"Oh"_ , mouth parted in delight.

"Mmmm." Helena kisses him again softly, smiles as Jacob wriggles against her, as his eyes flutter, gaze falling helplessly to her breasts now, even as he blushes very sweetly and tries to look away. "You're gorgeous."

 _"Con-contradictio-"_ Helena's hand wraps around him and Jacob's words break off mid-quote. He makes a noise in his throat, his eyes squeezing shut.

Helena loves this. She loves moving her hand slowly up and down him, as she starts to do now, slow, gentle strokes, that make Jacob gasp and jerk under her hands, especially when she combines them with soft, gentle kisses down both sides of his neck, under his ear, to his earlobe. She loves knowing she's the only person to ever have got to do this for him, that she's the only person in the world who knows just how exquisite he looks like this, his eyes squeezed shut, mouth opening in pleasure, as she feels him thrust a little into her hands, fingers curling a little, and then make an apologetic sound in his throat.

"Don't apologise" she breathes, and then she lets her fingers play at either side, reaching up to cup him gently, keeping the slow strokes going, wanting to sing when she hears Jacob let out another little _"Oh"_ at the sensation, his head tossing slightly, when she feels him jerk hard under her hands and then his hand squeezes her gently and then she murmurs "Oh" herself-

Jacob lets out a little tortured gasp. "Sorry-I-Helena-"

"Hey." She shushes him gently. "Don't say sorry." She gives him a butterfly kiss on the corner of his mouth, feels him shudder. "Enjoy it" she whispers with a smile.

Jacob gives her an anguished look, and Helena, seeing the way he shudders at the next stroke of her hand, suddenly clicks.

"Oh" she whispers, feeling a fond smile slip over her face, her chest suddenly suffused with so much warmth she almost can't breathe. "Oh. That's all right, my love. You've already waited-"

"I'm-I'm sorry-"

"No. No apologising." Helena keeps the movement of her hand slow, gentle, and is rewarded with another gasping little moan. "It's all right. It's rather a compliment, my love."

She lets her thumb wander down and over the slit very quickly and is rewarded with a cry. Jacob's eyes are shut now, his teeth biting at his lip, and Helena kisses his mouth, coaxing it open so she can hear him, because it feels like a miracle, to hear Jacob's voice like this, all of his usual bon mots and witticisms and articulation crumbling into these frantic little sounds, his usual composure shattered- _I'm the only one to see him like this,_ Helena thinks, and the words ache sweetly in her chest.

She lays her head on his shoulder, murmurs to him. Jacob's gasping now, his head tossing back and forth, letting out a soft moan every few seconds-Helena can feel him shuddering under her hand, gently strokes with her thumb again, feels the slow stickiness that tells her he's close, and she presses a soft kiss to his jaw. She thinks again of what it'll be like when they can go further than this, imagines the feeling of him inside her, and she can't stop herself smiling. She stares at Jacob, watching the way he moans every few moments, and smiles, thanking God she's managed to persuade Jacob to not ration himself of this until their wedding night. Helena was brought up going to weekly Mass the same as he was, but whether it's the Anglican in her or just the inherent rebel-she lets her tongue stud tickle his lips and is rewarded with a shudder-she's never been a strict churchgoer since she reached thirteen and was allowed to make up her own mind. Even if she'd been there first thing Sunday morning every week, she doubts she'd ever have held onto all the proclamations about sex, marriage and everything in between. How something like this could ever be _sinfuldirtywrong_ when it's the most loving thing you can do.

Jacob jerks sharply under her hands and his eyes open wide. "Helena" he manages in a warning, and she smiles, keeps going at the same speed.

(The first few times she'd done this for him, when they'd been lying together on his bed afterwards, Jacob still wearing that blissful, stunned look, she'd asked him, as gently as she could, if he hadn't done that for himself before. Jacob had blushed furiously and admitted, in something suspiciously like a mumble, that maybe, on some occasions, but that it hadn't been anything like this, and then, a few teasing kisses later and some reassuring murmurings of how useful his spectacles could be in her fantasies when she let her hands wander at night-letting her enjoy the sight of Jacob lying there speechless for almost a full minute, until she wondered whether she'd sent him into a swoon-she'd managed to inveigle out of him that he usually found himself quickening things when he was-Jacob had gone bright red and been unable to speak at that point, making Helena ache with affection-and then she'd murmured that actually, it could feel even better if things were slower at that point.)

(After some long kissing, she'd offered, with a widening of the eyes, to demonstrate.)

(That demonstration, she enjoys remembering, had removed any doubt about whether or not she could send Jacob into a swoon.)

But now, she rests her head on his shoulder, keeps stroking slowly, gently, letting her thumb move over the tip of him each time, making him gasp, letting out heartwrenching little groans, and then she feels him twitch suddenly, smiles at him, murmurs his name.

 _"Hele-"_ Helena watches, savouring each second, as Jacob's face crumples in on itself, before he lets out a low, shuddering groan and then she feels hot, sticky wetness coating her hand, as Jacob's head tosses, his hips thrusting in mindless pleasure, as he manages a frantic gasp of something that sounds like her name before he shudders one last time, head falling forward with a series of small ecstatic sounds into her shoulder, before he slumps back in the seat, chest rising and falling as if he's run a marathon. Helena pulls him into her, presses soft kisses to his cheek, murmurs his name.

There's a long blissful silence, Jacob's arms wrapped around her as Helena kisses his temple, before he raises his head to stare at her, blinking, slowly catching his breath. Helena smiles at him, reaches carefully with her other hand for her bag, pulling out a packet of tissues. Jacob blinks. "Oh-"

Helena smiles at him, making quick use of the tissues, even as Jacob begins a spluttered apology. "No apologising."

"But I-"

"Jacob." Helena gives him a quick kiss on the mouth.

Jacob manages a half-smile, half-grimace, as Helena rids herself of the tissues and then crawls onto his knee, even as Jacob rather hastily refastens his trousers. "Mmm. Was that-ah-worth the wait, my darling?"

Jacob blushes in response and pulls Helena to his chest, kissing her head. "More than so" he admits in a whisper, still trembling slightly as she snuggles into him.

"Well." Helena taps him on the nose. "Do you think you have-ah-enough evidence to revise your opinion yet, my love?"

Jacob's voice is low, amused, and tickles her forehead. "I couldn't possibly comment. We've only tested the hypothesis _once_ , after all."

Helena slowly raises her head to look at him. Jacob arches his eyebrows at her. Helena grins. "Keep doing that, and I'll think about it."

Jacob quirks the eyebrows again. Helena kisses him slowly, relishing the soft warmth of his mouth. When they break apart, she stretches, yawns, sleepiness falling over her like a blanket. She tugs at Jacob's arm. "Here, lie down."

"Why-"

"Just for a few moments." Helena widens her eyes at him, which may be the thing that persuades him, and Jacob gets on with unfolding his long arms and legs and lying across the back seat. Helena wriggles between his legs, lays her head on his chest, pulling his long coat over them both. She beams up at him, taps his nose. "Hiya."

"Hello."

"You look rather interesting from this angle."

"I will take that as a compliment."

"You should." Helena sighs, nestles against his chest, as his arms wrap around her. "I love you."

"You've mentioned. I love you, too."

Helena closes her eyes, wanting to cherish the words, the same way she savoured it as a child when Jacob would give her one of his odd, stiff pats on the arm that was his version of a hug or, on rare occasions, when he'd wrap his little arms around her awkwardly, letting her snuggle into his side. Now, she peers up at Jacob to see him staring down at her almost fiercely, as though she might disappear if he takes his eyes off her. She smiles up at him.

"I love you" Jacob says again, much more softly, and Helena tilts their mouths together in a long kiss, after which she lays her head down on his chest, feels Jacob kiss her head very gently, stroking her hair.

"85 days" she murmurs.

"Mmm?"

"85 days until our wedding."

Jacob's voice is very soft. "You've been counting them?"

"Mmm." Helena lets her engagement ring brush his mouth. "I can't wait to be married to you."

Jacob stares at her again, cups her face and kisses her softly, tentatively. "I love you" he breathes, and Helena smiles, curls into him and closes her eyes, Jacob's hands stroking her hair softly, gently, letting her sink into sleep.

                                                                                                                               **

When Helena next opens her eyes, it's to a rapping on the car window, a slight ache in her limbs, and the feeling of Jacob's glasses slipping into her hair.

"Jacob-" she murmurs, only for him to lay a hand on her shoulder, gently coaxing her back down to the seat, as she realises he's wriggling out from underneath her, where she's tucked under his coat. She also becomes aware, very quickly, with a slight blush and a bizarre urge to giggle, that she's lying here in precisely nothing, apart from her skirt, even her knickers having somehow managed to fall onto the floor in the night. The giggle fades suddenly as she considers the possibility of where they are and then remembers, to her relief, Jacob's propensity for remaining fully dressed, even as he gently closes the car door behind her.

She hears the murmur of voices as she lies there on the seat, huddled comfortably in Jacob's coat, feeling a stupidly happy grin play at her mouth. Whenever she and Jacob spend the night together, she loves the moment when she wakes up in his arms, the fact that he's usually still asleep, but that he's snuggled up to her in his dreams, and she can watch him for a while, stroking his hair. She can't fight the grin that threatens to split her face in two at the slightly sulky sounds he makes in his throat when he feels himself waking up before he's ready, the cross little look that furrows his brow, the way a couple of times before he's collected his thoughts enough to assume his usual gallantry, when she's teased him by pulling the blankets back, he's reached out and bodily grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back into bed with him with a sleepy kiss to the neck, making her laugh, delighted, before she rolls over and lets him wrap his arms around her.

She always sleeps much better these days when they're together, with their arms around each other. Helena had teased Jacob about it, that they were growing co-dependent. Jacob had seemed to take the idea seriously for a moment, before Helena had kissed his mouth gently and told him, with a tap on the nose, that it was a joke.

"Perhaps I just have a soporific effect on you" Jacob had suggested, poker-faced, until Helena had gently teased the corners of his mouth into a smile, pulling him into a slow kiss.

Now, Helena takes in the grey early-morning light creeping through the window and blinks. She's wondering, idly, if Jacob's ever slept in a car before when the car door opens and Jacob climbs into the driver's seat, looking considerably more ruffled than usual.

"Do you want me to stay down?" Helena asks cheekily, for the rush of seeing Jacob's cheek lift in a reluctant smile.

"I rather think the officer may believe I've restrained you if you do that" he manages, somewhat lightly, as Helena debates whether to nuzzle his neck as Jacob reaches for the gearstick.

Helena has to muffle her laughter in Jacob's coat. "Did he see me?"

Jacob takes a moment to answer. "Ah-I believe he asked me if you were awake, so-yee-eesss."

Helena can see the colour creeping up Jacob's cheeks from here. She gives in and has to muffle her laughter in his coat.

"It's not particularly amusing." Helena can't help the fondness that grins in her chest at the sight of Jacob trying to assume his steely expression, even as his eyes dance. "He could-if he'd known us-"

"He'd have been telling people that the Conservative candidate for North East Somerset is some kind of moral deviant who has sex with his fiancee in car backseats?"

Jacob's blush makes her want to kiss him. She waits until he's got the car moving before she leans up and does so, kissing his cheek and feeling it lift into another grin under her mouth.

"Or that you had the temerity to not be wearing a suit?"

"The mind quails" Jacob tells her, straight-faced, and Helena bursts out laughing, gives him another quick kiss, and curls up on the backseat under his coat, letting herself watch him idly through half-closed eyelids.

                                                                                                                                        **

When they finally walk through Jacob's front door, Helena lets herself lean into Jacob's chest before it closes, feeling the surprised smile he always wears in the first few seconds of holding her press into her hair as he wraps his arms around her.

"Mmm." Helena huddles into him, loving the feeling of his heartbeat, strong against her ear, quickening when she reaches up to nuzzle at his neck. "I'm tired."

"Understandably so."

"Jacob." Helena smiles at him. "I'm _tired."_

Jacob quirks an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting you wish to-" He loses his breath a little, as Helena leans up to press their foreheads together. "Ah-perhaps-return to bed for a-a-"

Jacob's words trail off as Helena's mouth meets his in a soft kiss. "I can't imagine" she murmurs into his mouth. "What activities other than sleeping we could think of in a bed."

"Of course not." Jacob's breathless against her, his pulse already quickening in his neck when she whispers a kiss there. "That would be most-a simply appalling misemployment of sleeping arrangements-"

Helena kisses him slowly, letting her hands slide into his hair and letting herself enjoy it, their tongues in a warm, slow caress. When they break apart, her stomach is dropping delightfully, and she gives Jacob a smile, their lips still almost touching. "We'll simply-have-" She loses her breath as Jacob nuzzles her neck gently. "Have to explore that then."

 

                                                                                                                                   **

 

Once Helena gets out of the shower, she makes her way lazily into Jacob's bedroom, smiling as she gently slips loose the diamond earrings he bought her, placing them almost reverently on the bedside table.

(Jacob had promised her a book and had nervously stammered at her over dinner that night, far from his usual composure, that he was very sorry, that he'd gone to eight different bookstores, but they didn't have the volume he'd been looking for, and that he knew he'd promised her a book, but would she terribly mind these instead-)

(Helena, upon opening the package, had answered his question by walking round the table, climbing into his lap and kissing him full on the mouth long and slow. She doesn't think Jacob's ever been so happy to appear dishevelled in a restaurant before.)

("Better than any Maggie portrait" she'd teased him in bed that night-it had still been the single bed then, which Helena had never minded as much as she claimed, because it gave them an excuse to have their arms wrapped around each other.)

(Jacob had sat up to look at her, with an arched eyebrow. "That comment is a sin against the Holy Ghost.")

(Helena had arched an eyebrow. "I was getting the impression you're actually rather intrigued by sinning, Jacob Rees-Mogg.")

(Any proclamations on sin had suddenly seemed rather unimportant when Jacob's mouth had been very near and their bodies were wrapped around each other and there were suddenly all manner of more interesting things requiring their attention.)

She wraps her arms around herself in the silk nightie she brought before either of them suspected they'd spend the night on the side of the road, the tiredness of the night before beginning to settle into her body and the thought of falling asleep in Jacob's arms becoming more appealing by the moment. She stretches, yawning, and when Jacob makes his way through the door a few moments later, carrying two mugs of tea-one of the few culinary items Jacob can be relied upon to even _try_ to make himself-wrapped in his dressing gown, she's already curled up in his bed, relishing the many blankets heaped on top of her.

Jacob quirks an eyebrow at her as he sets the tea down. Helena grins. "I was cold."

"Indeed."

Helena holds out her arms. "And right now, I want warming up."

Jacob's mouth quirks this time. "Patience." He shrugs off his dressing gown-Helena's heart turns over at the sight of his pyjamas-and climbs into bed next to her, smiling when, a moment later, Helena's huddled against his chest, _mmm_ ing happily at the sensation of his heartbeat against her ear.

"I love you so much" she murmurs, and Jacob kisses her head quietly, strokes his fingers through her hair. Helena lets her thoughts drift into dreamy contentment, her eyes closing every few moments.

"84 days now" she remarks, feels Jacob chuckle. She thinks for a few moments, then, raising herself up on her elbows and reaching for her cup, she asks "Are you nervous?"

"About marrying you?" Jacob's fingers stroke slowly through her hair. "No. Not at all." His hand stills. "Are-do you-have reservations about-"

Helena lowers her cup, leans over and kisses Jacob full on the mouth, tilting his chin gently and not breaking away until she has to come up for air.

"In case that wasn't a clear enough answer" she breathes, at the sight of Jacob's slightly breathless look. "No, I am not having any...reservations..." These words interspersed with kisses to his cheeks. "About...marrying you...Jacob Rees-Mogg."

Jacob's arms wrap around her then. Helena snuggles into him, lets him hide his face in her shoulder for a few moments.

When Helena lifts her head a few moments later, looks up at him, she murmurs "I meant about...what happens the first night we're married."

"Ah." Jacob strokes her hair idly as she lays her head on his chest, savouring the warmth of his body, his familiar, sweet scent, his long fingers which she idly laces between her own. "Do you?"

Helena laughs. "I _have_ done that before, Jacob." She kisses his cheek. "Just not with you. So-yeah, I just-" She nestles under his chin. "I want it to be good. For you."

Jacob's silent for a moment and Helena thinks he's just contemplating these words. But then, when she looks up at him, he's staring at her, wide-eyed. "For-for _me?"_

Helena, confused, nods. "Er-yes?" She strokes under his mouth, relishing the softness of his lips. "You know. I want you to enjoy it."

Jacob stares at her. Helena blinks. "Is that-did I say something wrong-"

Jacob stares at her, blinking rapidly, then says "It's inconceivable that I _wouldn't."_

Helena has to close her eyes for a moment at that, and then pulls him into her, snuggling into his chest. "I love you so much" she breathes into his neck. "You just don't know how much, you know?"

Jacob's breathless under her kisses, his own arms winding around her. "I...am obtaining...a fair comprehension..."

Helena's mouth finds his and his words fade into what becomes a slow, languorous kiss, Jacob's tongue slowly, cautiously caressing Helena's own, until Helena hums happily and he kisses her deeper, a pleased sound creeping out of his throat.

"It'll be nice, too" she murmurs, when they break apart. "Having a week together, I mean. Before we go to Africa."

Jacob's mouth twitches. Helena smacks his shoulder without needing to lift her head. "If you dare-"

"Flanders and Swann have some _wonderful_ songs for expeditions."

"Jacob, if you sing Flanders and Swann throughout our honeymoon, I will wait for the one night we camp out and then I shall leave you to the lions."

Jacob's shaking with laughter beneath her. Helena curses her ability to find even Flanders and Swann endearing when it comes out of his mouth and undermines her own threat by kissing him again, feeling him stroke her hair as she stretches out luxuriously.

"We definitely did the right thing getting a double bed" she murmurs.

"I did."

"At my insistence."

"Well, quite."

Helena gives him a kiss. "I'd just rather be in your bedroom when I stay with you" she murmurs, fondly. "Rather than us both have to use a guest room." There's a pause, then "Plus, I was quite worried we might break your old bed."

 _"Helena!"_ Jacob's voice is a shocked squeak even as Helena bursts into giggles into his chest, looking up at the laughter he's clearly fighting back, taking his face between her hands and giving him another kiss.

"I'm only saying" she manages through giggles, kissing both his cheeks and his nose. "What if we'd-you know-it would have been hard to explain-"

Jacob's blushing at the mere contemplation of the situation, which makes Helena beam and kiss him again, hugging him tight and thanking God that now they don't have to worry about any ominous creaking sounds.

(Though there are many gorgeously distracting things she and Jacob can do under bedclothes that rather served to help them forget about any creaking the bed might make, until the only noise either of them would notice is breathing and kissing and touching and then that blissful noise either of them might make when that wonderfully delicious moment overtakes them both.)

"It could have been an Immaculate Act" Jacob suggests, poker-faced, and Helena gives him an arched eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes. Our Lady is famed for her Immaculate Appearances-"

"I think she's mostly famed for the Immaculate Conception, darling, which is not something I think one could associate with me. With the best will in the world."

"It probably would not even be worthy of you, sweetheart" Jacob tells her, still poker-faced, though his composure slips as Helena dissolves again, this time, snuggling into his side, kissing his fingers, sleepiness creeping in at the edges of her laughter now.

Helena considers exploring any more of Jacob's veritable library of quotes, but the blankets are lovely and warm and Jacob's chest is very comfortable and when she snuggles down under his chin, her eyes are closing. She lets herself imagine how wonderful it will be when this really is their bedroom in a few months time, when one of the rooms downstairs is a nursery, lets herself picture their children with Jacob's sharp, alight eyes and her blonde hair, scrambling between them in the mornings, running through the gardens of whichever manor they'll buy in Somerset, pictures their laughter, squealing and joyful, untouched by the world.

Jacob laughs, softly, kisses her head. Helena smiles without opening her eyes. "S'not you" she murmurs, stroking his glasses blindly with one hand. "Just...really tired..."

"You can always tell people you were attending an extensive literary event."

"Mmm. With a highly captivating speaker. Pretty sure he fancied me naked."

Jacob splutters in response, making Helena grin cheekily up at him, and pull his indignant _"Helena!"_ into another kiss.

"I'd be quite happy if he did" she murmurs when they break apart. "I sort of happen to fancy him rotten, if I'm honest."

Jacob's blushing beautifully under Helena's gaze and she snuggles into his shoulder. It takes him several attempts to speak. "Perhaps the sentiment is returned" he manages, his voice a little more rushed than usual, and Helena smiles up at him, kisses behind his ear.

"I have it on good authority that it is" she manages sleepily. "He's a perfect gentleman, though. Most of the time."

Jacob seems to struggle inwardly for a moment before he manages, the words tentative in her ear, "Perhaps you make him...feel...rather... ungentlemanly."

Helena raises her head and arches an eyebrow. Jacob's blushing like the setting sun. She reaches out and ruffles his hair with one hand.

"Perhaps that suits you" she says, with a grin, before nestling back into his chest, because while she's already rather keen on exploring these implications, sleep's lapping at the edges of her thoughts, warm and drowsy, and as Jacob lays down his own cup on the table, she can tell his own thoughts are wandering to this too.

"I meant it" she hears him murmur, when she's almost drifted off, and she barely opens her eyes from being contentedly curled around him to murmur back "Sorry?"

"I could-ah-" Jacob automatically lifts a hand to shunt at his glasses before remembering they're not there. "I could always-gather-some other suitable quotations. If you ever wished to undertake that exercise again?" He arches his eyebrows. "Purely for literary and academic purposes, you understand."

Helena feels a slow grin dent her cheeks, brighten her eyes. "Well, quite" she says, gently pulling Jacob down to her by his pyjama collar. "It would be terribly remiss of us not to test a hypothesis more than once. It may require a great deal of experimentation before we can determine whether or not it holds up. And-ah-that would probably mean it would be-prudent to collect more data."

Jacob's mouth quirks mischievously. "That sounds like an experiment that could be...rather....intriguing..." His words are breathless in between Helena whispering kisses to his fingers.

"Indeed." She smiles up at him, wrapping their fingers together. "Once we've made sure we're well-rested, that is."

Jacob stares at her for a moment. Helena smiles back and murmurs the words she learnt years ago as a child, that ache in her chest.

 _"Give me my Romeo-"_ She kisses the corner of his mouth. _"And when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars_ -" Her fingers caress Jacob's cheeks. _"He shall make the face of heaven so fine-"_

She kisses Jacob's mouth once, softly.

 _"That all the world shall be in love with night"_ she murmurs, before giving Jacob one last, wondrous kiss, and then, drowsiness soothing her eyes, tilts her face to his, to see Jacob staring at her, the tenderness in his gaze so sweet that Helena nearly cries, the look more intimate than a kiss.

It's as her eyes flutter shut a few moments later, pressed to his heartbeat, that she feels Jacob lower his mouth to her ear.

_"Doubt thou the stars are fire-"_

Helena's eyes open sharply. She meets Jacob's gaze, the hazel alight in his eyes, one hand cupping her cheek very tenderly.

_"Doubt thou that the sun doth move-"_

Jacob's forehead presses against hers'. Their noses nudge together for a second, and Helena, for a moment, can't tell whose skin is whose.

 _"Doubt truth to be a liar-"_ Jacob's gaze is blazing. Helena's gaze is locked with his own, each of them staring at each other, adrenaline taut and thrumming with them, hearts pounding, breath caught.

Jacob breathes her in, lets his eyes hold hers', his gaze unwavering, blazing, certain. _"But never doubt I love"_ is all he whispers, before he slowly tilts his mouth to hers' in a soft long warm kiss that becomes blazing, arms wrapping round each other, and then, slowly, gentle and soft again, leaving them both trembling when they break apart.

Helena touches his lips very gently. "I love you." It's all she can whisper. The words seem stupidly small when she compares them to the wonderful aching fullness in her chest, as though she could burst or sob or both, in the best possible way, so she just looks at Jacob, her Jacob, and lets him meet her gaze, in a silent conversation.

"I love you more than anything in the world." Jacob says the words very quietly, and that gives them a certain quiet kind of resolute conviction of their own.

Their mouths press together softly, sweetly once again and then Helena lies down again on Jacob's chest. Jacob's hand strokes her hair. Helena smiles as she drifts into sleep, lets her hand wrap around Jacob's, her whole body singing softly as she sinks into the warmth of Jacob's arms around her.

Some words come to mind, a long-forgotten snatch of apt verse, and she smiles to herself, maybe half-murmurs them aloud as they lie there together.

_"And when Love speaks, the voice of all the gods -"_

She lets herself sink into warm dreams in Jacob's arms.

_"Makes heaven drowsy with the harmony."_

 

* * *

 

 _Ad astra, ad libitum-_ "To the stars, to pleasure."

 _Cor meum tibi offero-_ "I offer you my heart."

 _Contradictio in terminis-_ words whose meanings are in conflict with one another/contradicting meanings.

 _Propiis alis volas_ -"She flies by her own wings." (to stand out from the crowd)

 _Est modus in rebis_ -everything in proportion. (What Jacob starts to say before Helena interrupts him.)

* * *

 

 

_Touch but my lips with those fair lips of thine_

_Though mine be not so fair, yet they are red_

_The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine_

_ -Venus And Adonis, William Shakespeare _

 

_Love's not Time's fool_

_Though rosy lips and cheek_

_ -Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare _

 

_My bounty is as boundless as the sea_

_My love as deep, the more I give to thee_

_The more I have, for both are infinite_

_ -Romeo And Juliet, Act II, Scene II, William Shakespeare _

 

_Love, and that breeds hot_

_Blood, and hot blood begets hot thoughts, and hot_

_Thoughts beget hot deeds, and hot deeds is love._

_ -Troilus And Cressida, Act III Scene I, William Shakespeare _

 

_The tender spring upon thy tempting lip_

_Shows thee unripe; yet mayst thou well be tasted_

_ -Venus And Adonis, William Shakespeare _

 

_Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night_

_That runaway's eyes may wink and Romeo_

_Leap to these arms, untalked of and unseen._

_Lovers can see to do their amorous rites_

_By their own beauties, if love be blind_

_It best agrees with night._

_ -Romeo And Juliet, Act II Scene II, William Shakespeare _

 

_My flesh is soft and plump, my marrow burning_

_My smooth moist hand, were it with thy hand felt_

_Would in thy palm dissolve, or seem to melt_

_ -Venus And Adonis, William Shakepeare _

 

_But you. O you, so perfect and so peerless,_

_Are created of every creature's best!_

_ -The Tempest, Act III Scene I, William Shakespeare _

 

_Graze on my lips, and if those hills be dry_

_Stray lower, where the pleasant fountains lie_

_ -Venus And Adonis, William Shakespeare _

 

_If ever thou shalt love_

_In the sweet pangs of it, remember me;_

_For such as I am, all true lovers are_

_Unstaid and skittish in all motions else_

_Save in the constant image of the creature_

_That is beloved._

_ -Twelfth Night, Act II Scene IV, William Shakespeare _

 

_My nobler part to my gross body's treason_

_My soul doth tell my body that he may_

_Triumph in love; flesh stays no further reason_

_But rising at thy name, doth point out thee_

_ -Sonnet 151, William Shakespeare _

 

_Hear my soul speak._

_The very instant that I saw you did_

_My heart fly to your service, there resides_

_To make me slave to it_

_ -The Tempest, Act III Scene I, William Shakespeare _

 

_Love alters not with his brief hours or weeks_

_But bears it out even to the edge of doom_

_If this be error and upon me proved_

_I never writ nor no man ever loved._

_ -Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare _

 

_O heaven, o earth, bear witness to this sound_

_And crown what I profess with kind intent_

_If I speak true! If hollowly, invert what best is boded me to mischief._

_Beyond all limit of what else i' the world_

_Do love, prize, honour you_

_ -The Tempest, Act III Scene I, William Shakespeare _

 

_Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-brow'd night_

_Give me my Romeo; and when he shall die_

_Take him and cut him out in little stars_

_And he will make the face of heaven so fine_

_That all the world shall be in love with night._

_ -Romeo And Juliet, Act II Scene II, William Shakespeare _

 

_Doubt thou the stars are fire_

_Doubt that the sun doth move_

_Doubt truth to be a liar_

_But never doubt I love_

_ -Hamlet, Act II Scene V, William Shakespeare _

 

**Author's Note:**

> One of Jacob and Helena's engagement photos, in May 2006, so a few months before when this is set: https://goo.gl/images/jAQwZw  
> Jacob and Helena in 2015: https://goo.gl/images/gdbfzo  
> You can see the Bentley in question (the blue one) here: https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/motors/jacob-reesmogg-on-his-first-alfa-bentleys-and-the-joys-of-classic-cars-a3352151.html  
> Jacob got asked if he'd stuck to the "no sex before marriage" dictum, and responded that he didn't follow all the teachings of the Catholic church:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h6XgmzQObY  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4866922/Jacob-Rees-Mogg-refuses-abortion-views.html (He also mentioned there that their sixth child was somewhat a surprise.)  
> The scene of Jacob, Helena and the protesters is here, at 0:21:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XT3Fa4q6oA  
> You can also see Jacob & Helena heading into conference & hear Helena gently winding him up about the EU flag in 2018 at 01:18, here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu4xB7QQI1I  
> Helena had a tongue stud and was reportedly known for throwing "debauched" parties, including her 21st-she and Jacob have known each other since she was born, with her being a close childhood friend of his little sister Annunziata and their families being friends. She is also Anglican:https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rees-mogg-first-family-of-fogeys-420663.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2295489/Jacob-Rees-Mogg-JANE-FRYER-meets-poshest-man-politics.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3455622/Meet-exquisitely-eccentric-fogey-giving-Dave-barrels-Jacob-Rees-Mogg-proves-s-not-just-backbench-Bertie-Wooster.html  
> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jacob-rees-mogg-posh-totty-d8g30s3vl  
> There were a couple of articles about their wedding:  
> https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-mail/20060901/282162171692553  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/columnists/article-428788/Jacob-gets-hitched-old-Tory-style.html  
> https://www.khaleejtimes.com/editorials-columns/the-wonders-of-christianity-and-chick-lit (written by Jacob's father, and mentions the diamond earrings)  
> Jacob did sing Flanders and Swann during their safari honeymoon (in the answer at 01:01:47): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjjDv4O2pgo  
> They ended up with a honeymoon baby: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-mail/20071017/282080567471726  
> Jacob and Helena famously have six kids (so far)-Peter, Mary, Thomas, Anselm, Alfred, and Sixtus, whose names & family life (including the family's long-term nanny) have become rather cult favourites of social media :  
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40506109  
> https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/827681/Rees-Mogg-family-Tory-MP-child-names  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4683432/Jacob-Rees-Mogg-48-proudly-shows-brood.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4675104/Jacob-Rees-Mogg-opens-album-mark-birth-sixth-baby.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5363395/Jacob-Rees-Mogg-posts-video-toddler-son-saying-Brexit.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5849987/EDEN-CONFIDENTIAL-Meet-von-Trapps-Rees-Moggs-mini-mes.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5701669/Father-six-Jacob-Rees-Mogg-wife-Helena-parade-brood-Somerset-constituency.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6164909/Jacob-Rees-Moggs-nanny-scolds-ageing-anarchist-Ian-Bone-unfairly-targeting-MPs-children.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6171857/Jacob-Rees-Moggs-nanny-talks-Brexit-Boris-Johnson-Jeremy-Corbyn.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-6229403/Mrs-Rees-Mogg-says-Jacob-wont-children-MP-husband-wants-more.html  
> He and Helena didn't live together before marrying: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5565727/Has-Jacob-Rees-Moggs-Nanny-let-slip-secrety-set-sights-No-10.html  
> Helena's comment on Jacob's phrasing is from here: https://www.tatler.com/article/jacob-rees-mogg-interview  
> Jacob mentioned the Maggie portrait engagement present at Gournay Court, the manor house in Somerset where they also live: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2711016/My-haven-Jacob-Rees-Mogg-The-Tory-MP-45-sitting-room-manor-house-Somerset.html  
> They used to live in Mayfair but now live in a Westminster mansion during the week following baby number six: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5775307/Jacob-Rees-Mogg-buys-5million-house-closer-Parliament-Downing-Street.html  
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6092269/Jacob-Rees-Mogg-inches-closer-Downing-Street.html  
> Jacob is fond of reciting "Patience is a virtue": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRduxGZHwig  
> He apparently is not a fan of early mornings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7eLHXCBy-w
> 
>  


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